1. Field of the Invention
The present invention related to a process for producing a commercial soil additive from exhaust gas generated from a coal power generator.
2. Description of Related Art
Over a million new homes per year have been developed from American farm land in recent decades with little being done to improve the soil after development. Soil additives may be used to improve soil quality in these areas as well as broader agriculture applications. Currently, peat moss is used as a soil additive to lower pH. However, it is mostly imported from Canada and is very expensive for agricultural use. A greater supply of soil additives, particularly in a wider pH range, could be used to replenish depleted soil if it could be produced at a lower cost. Since the cost would be low, the soil additive could be supplied to larger areas of land without incurring a large cost to the consumer.
America is the “Saudi Arabia” of coal. Coal is America's greatest fossil fuel geological resource and now produces over half of the nation's electricity. Natural gas currently produces approximately 15% of the nation's electricity. Current and future coal use in power generation is defined by environmental regulations including where power plants are sited, what quality of coal can be mined and burned, and the economics of its use. Overall environmental theories such as global warming have become paramount in directing research and planning in the use of coal as a future fuel. The history of the modern use of coal as an energy stock has been driven by environmental legislation and regulation from Clean Air Act 1, 2, Surface mining Acts and Regulations, and concerns over global warming. Though great strides have been made to reduce sulfur and other emissions from coal fired electrical generators, the basic process remains as a perceived “smokestack” industry which causes enormous political, siting, and public acceptance problems. It would be advantageous to develop a commercial by-product which provides a market for the carbon and other by-products produced from coal power generators. An ideal process would also utilize the water energy generated in coal use. This type of process would greatly expand coal resources.